The most varied embodiments of transport apparatuses are known from the prior art. In the present case, the transport apparatus relates to such types of embodiments where moving trucks are displaceable along guide tracks. In this connection, the guide track, as a rule, consists of straight or curved profile rails on which the moving trucks are mounted so as to roll and/or slide. A generally known exemplary embodiment is the overhead conveyor where a moving body is arranged on a profile rail, the load being suspended from the moving body. Consequently, it is possible in a simple manner to convey loads along the guide track.
In order to be able to move a plurality of loads at the same time, it is known to use moving trucks which can be coupled to each other. Consequently, it is possible to convey several moving trucks together when one single moving truck is driven. An example for a transport apparatus of this type is shown in document DE 199 17 806 A1. The case described here is a transport apparatus in the manner of an overhead conveying apparatus, where carrying trucks are arranged so as to be displaceable on running rails. In this connection, each carrying truck has a connecting strut, at each of the two ends of which are mounted a pair of rollers, which, in turn, encompass the corresponding running rail. Consequently, the carrying truck is freely displaceable along the running rail. In the prior art, the connecting strut in the case of such an overhead conveyor is situated lying in parallel below the running rail. The load to be conveyed can then be mounted in a suitable manner on the connecting rail. For coupling the plurality of carrying trucks, a coupling device with a hook-shaped coupling element is present at both ends of each carrying truck, it being possible in a corresponding manner to engage a hook of a first carrying truck with a hook of a second carrying truck. As a result, when the first carrying truck is pulled, all the coupled carrying trucks are entrained.
A particular advantage of said solution is that the individual carrying trucks are able to be coupled to each other and uncoupled from each other in a flexible and simple manner. To this end, it is simply necessary to hook the coupling devices out of or into each other on the carrying truck by means of a vertically upward movement against the downwardly pulling load.
A problem with the aforedescribed solution, however, is, on the one hand, that it is not possible to exert shear forces unrestrictedly onto a conveying truck for the simultaneous conveying of the conveying truck in front. The reason for this, on the one hand, is in the non-symmetrical coupling by means of the hook-shaped coupling devices. This results in an irregular introduction of the shear force onto the individual carrying trucks. On the other hand, the position of the couplings at a spacing from the running rail is a disadvantage. As a result, this leads to the individual carrying trucks possibly breaking out from the vertically hanging position of the individual carrying trucks, in particular during the course of running rail curves. In this respect, the embodiment presented is advantageous for conveying in a pulling manner and less for conveying in a pushing manner. In addition, it must be taken into account that in the aforedescribed embodiment, an automatic drive for the individual conveying trucks is only possible with difficulty. The reason for this in particular is that there is no suitable application point for an automatic drive. At best, it is conceivable to utilize the vertical strut in the connection between the connecting strut and the rollers in order to exert a pulling movement there onto the front-most carrying truck by means of a fork-like drive.
Consequently, it is the object of the present invention to provide a transport apparatus where, unlike the known solutions from the prior art, greater flexibility with regard to the development of the guide track is obtained and in this connection, at the same time, individual moving trucks or moving truck groups are able to be conveyed in an automatically driven manner.